there's no crying at work

And by crying I mean emotion.

I've had a few different jobs that have ranged from serving ice cream, to working in a library, to conducting research and development on remote visual inspection equipment. Despite the obvious difference in work environment that these jobs have all offered me, they have all had in common the fact that the workplace is no place for emotion.

Don't get me wrong, I have almost cried at work. Like when a customer at Bloomingdale's cursed me out because I wouldn't honor her [invalid] coupon, and when a manager came to handle the situation, she just gave the customer what she wanted and went against store policy [and I basically fought for nothing].

Or when my first really big project at my current job was nearing its deadline and I was barely 75% done with it and couldn't fathom how or when I was ever going to finish. Yeah, I managed to get a tear or two come to my eye for those.

But emotional outpours say in emails? No. Never.

Words like "uncomfortable" and "disappointed" should not be in any email regarding how I made you "feel". Unless I cursed you out or harassed you [neither of which I have ever done], why are we sending feeling emails. Especially feeling emails that are coming hours after you let some emotion fester.

Work is work and it does not get completed at my job because of emotions. Do you think any of my PMs give two craps if I feel disappointed with the software? No. Does it work, yes or no? Is it documented, yes or no? ie did I do my job? Yes. Or. No?

:: sigh ::

These sudden experiences at work have let me to a new realization though. And that is the the whole festering thing. The first time this happened, I went to see my coworker and simply said, "That is such a GIRL thing to do! You contacted me and gave me an option, I didn't take it, and hours later you contacted me to tell me that you had expected me to do it anyway. Why wasn't that just said upfront?!"

His response was a simple laugh followed by "Welcome to our life as men. You give us an option when in reality you want us to do it, and instead of saying that you get all upset if we don't".

WELL THEN!

Now that I am on the receiving end of this horribly classic female stereotype, I have seen how not cool it is, and to men everywhere I say I'M SORRY! How completely annoying.

Although, I will say that while this behavior is annoying regardless of the situation, at least in an emotional relationship it's an emotional relationship. There are so many other things that go into being with someone. 

But work? Sorry but work to me still remains a place where your emotions should be checked at the door.